Merry Christmas!

  Christmas Eve.

 

 Christmas morning.

For the first time, David and I celebrated Christmas as parents. This was a startling amount of work! Somehow, Gwendolyn's other Christmases have been relatively easy, one in Germany, one when we first arrived in Panama. She was so young, she was very happy with the unwrapping of a present or two. But this time we got a little more elaborate. A few days before, David bought this tiny Christmas tree. We made ornaments, we made cookies, we hung lights, we wrapped presents, we cooked lots and lots of food (two big dinners with friends, one Christmas Eve, the other Christmas day). By the time Christmas morning arrived, David and I were exhausted, and filled with yet a new sense of gratitude and respect for all the wonderful Christmases our parents have given us.

Gwendolyn was ecstatic! This photo shows only a tiny sliver of her exuberance, which lasted the whole day. It was all we could do to slow her down a bit, to get her to take a look at one present before racing to the next. I've never seen her with such manic, joyful energy (which might also have had to do with her utter lack of food all day beyond candy canes and cookies).

To all our family and friends in places near and far, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!